Madison Square Garden Tours

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Billed as “the world’s most famous arena,” Madison Square Garden—colloquially known as the Garden—has been a mecca of sports and entertainment for over half a century. Home to the New York Knicks and New York Rangers, the Midtown Manhattan venue also regularly hosts wrestling and other sports events, concerts with world-renowned artists, and more.

The Basics

Madison Square Garden is a popular stop on hop-on, hop-off bus tours or private driving tours of New York, while cycling and walking tours also pause outside the landmark. You can also spy it from the skies on a helicopter tour of Manhattan, or get a behind-the-scenes tour included with a New York Sightseeing or FreeStyle Pass. The legendary venue hosts games, concerts, and other performances all year long, so you can also get a ticket for a dose of competition or entertainment. Book event tickets on Ticketmaster—Madison Square Garden’s official online ticket platform—or at the box office, typically open 10am to 6pm Monday to Saturday.

In addition to the main arena, Madison Square Garden also hosts the more intimate Hulu Theater, plus restaurants, bars, and shops.

Collapsible strollers are welcome at events, so long as they fit under your seat.

The venue is accessible to visitors with mobility, sight, or hearing issues.

How to Get There

Located in Midtown Manhattan, Madison Square Garden is just steps from Penn Station, which is serviced by the 1, 2, 3, A, C, or E subway, and New Jersey Transit or Long Island Railroad trains. You can also walk from the B, D, F, M, N, Q, R, or W subway at 34th Street/Herald Square, which is just minutes away; if arriving from New Jersey, get off the PATH Train at 33rd Street. Madison Square Garden is also easily accessible via bus or taxi, or on foot.

When to Get There

Madison Square Garden hosts roughly 320 events per year, so there’s no bad time to visit to take in games, concerts, and other performances. The New York Knicks (basketball) and the New York Rangers (ice hockey) both typically play between October and April.

Madison Square Garden’s Most Famous Visitors

Since its opening in 1968, Madison Square Garden has hosted some of the world’s biggest artists and celebrities. All genres of musicians—including John Lennon, Elvis Presley, Elton John, Billy Joel, Madonna, U2, Taylor Swift, and Andrea Bocelli—have taken to its stage. The venue has even hosted Pope John Paul II and Pope Francis. And every February, the Garden hosts two Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show competitions.

Get a true New York experience on the brand-new Madison Square Garden® All Access Tour™! Walk the halls of legends and hear The Garden’s nearly 150-year history from an expert tour guide who knows every iconic story and moment. Plus, there’s always a surprise! Will you see the hardwood or the ice? Locker rooms? A stage being built? A rehearsal? Take the tour to find out. A must-see during your trip to NYC!

See the very best of Manhattan on a full-day sightseeing tour by double decker bus that includes an hour-long New York Harbor cruise, so you can see the Statue of Liberty from the water. Visit Rockefeller Center, the 9/11 Memorial, Grant’s Tomb, and Little Italy, and get a bird's-eye view of the city from the Top of the Rock Observation Deck. Along the way, you’ll pass through fascinating neighborhoods in Uptown, Midtown, and Downtown, and hear stories about New York history, culture, and daily life.

Fly over New York City in a private helicopter on a 20- to 25-minute sightseeing flight with live commentary. Choose between an afternoon flight and an evening flight, then see the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, and Central Park from the air. This scenic helicopter tour takes off from Linden Municipal Airport in New Jersey, and accommodates your private group of up to 6 people.

Take flight over the spectacular skyline of New York City on this 18-20-minute scenic helicopter tour. Soar over Manhattan’s most famous landmarks and experience the city like never before. This is your chance to get a truly memorable view of the Big Apple.

A hop-on hop-off New York bus tour allows you to see the city at your own pace and provides easy transportation to top sights. Entertaining tour guides keep you informed when you’re on board, and you can hop off and on the distinctive double-decker tour buses when you wish to check out attractions like the Empire State Building and Rockefeller Center. There are several options and combos to choose from with access to the Uptown Loop, Downtown Loop, Brooklyn Loop and Night Tour, or upgrade to add attractions to your tour!

Explore the best of Midtown Manhattan on this half-day private walking tour. See famous New York attractions such as the Flatiron Building, Times Square, Grand Central Terminal, the Empire State Building, and more as you listen to informative commentary about the history of the city. This tour also explores Roosevelt Island via the Aerial Tramway where you can catch incredible views of the skyline.

Weave through the best of the Big Apple with this 72-hour hop-on hop-off bus ticket. Take in the sites and learn about the history of the city from the running commentary, and then when something strikes your fancy, hop off the bus to explore further. When you're done, get back on the next bus and continue. Stop by Greenwich Village, SoHo, Times Square, the Empire State Building, Lincoln Center, Central Park and much more. Your Pass also includes admission to the top attractions of your choice! Just select a 3-attraction pass, 5-attraction pass or 7-attraction pass and choose from the list of the city’s most popular attractions.

Experience the best of New York City in one day by following a professional guide through Manhattan's top attractions on this 6-hour NYC 360 tour. Make stops at Central Park, Rockefeller Center, 9/11 Memorial and Flat Iron and Financial districts, among others. Travel in a luxury vehicle to all locations, and learn about the the history and stories of this incredible city from your guide as you walk around each sight. Cap off a day of sightseeing with skip-the-line entrance to One World Observatory (admission included), where you'll travel more than 100 stories in less than 60 seconds .

Tour the busy streets and eclectic neighborhoods of the Big Apple on this private bike tour. Your guide will usher you through the top attractions and major highlights and ensure you leave having explored it all!

See Manhattan’s top attractions, from Harlem to Battery Park, on a 6- or 8-hour sightseeing tour. On board a double decker bus, travel across the city, passing major landmarks like Madison Square Garden, Times Square and Central Park. Take a 60-minute cruise across New York Harbor and climb to the Top of the Rock Observation Deck at Rockefeller Center on the 8-hour tour.

Pack in a full day of sightseeing New York City easily with this 24-hour hop-on, hop-off double-decker bus tour. You can choose between three neighborhoods loops, including Downtown, Uptown and Brooklyn or upgrade to gain access to all four loops and a hop-on, hop-off cruise. No matter what you choose, you can spend the day (or the night) riding around as your tour guide provides fun facts as you go. Plus, you can plan out what stops you’d like to get off at to do some more in-depth exploring.

Put the 'big' in the Big Apple by covering a huge swath of Manhattan on this hop-on, hop-off bus tour and then gain entry to the sky-high observatory atop the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan. Save your feet and leg muscles by riding comfortably on the double-decker bus, learning about the history of the city as you go, and then getting off when something strikes your interest to explore more. Then head to the top of the World Trade Center for a stunning view.

Visit top attractions in New York City with The Sightseeing Pass and save money while creating lasting memories on a trip customized to your way of travel. Visit an unlimited number of over 90 attractions. Choose 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 or 10 day pass to suit your trip. Enjoy free admission into museums, One World Observatory, Top of the Rock, Statue of Liberty, tours and much more, with the option to experience the views with unlimited access to Gray Line CitySightseeing Hop-on, Hop-off buses for the entire duration of your pass.